Wikileaks

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Dylan H

Is it really unjustifiable to not release these documents?

People talk to US diplomats (or any other diplomat) on the understanding that there is secrecy involved, that what they said won't reach back to their bosses.

---

They are very naive if they believe that anything is 100% sure.
What I do not understand and I hope someone can explain is why is these secrecy needed?! What is the point and the benefits for our society in having so much secrecy?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Eki

Of course, but it's debatable what the national interest is. Long time or short time interest? They could be different. Is it better to ruthlessly accumulate as much money and power as you can while making enemies, or to settle for little less and live in peace and harmony with the rest of the world?

---

You're mistaking the direction of US foreign policy which is set by the presidency with the bread and butter work of the American diplomatic core. Diplomats do not set policy.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ioan

They are very naive if they believe that anything is 100% sure.
What I do not understand and I hope someone can explain is why is these secrecy needed?! What is the point and the benefits for our society in having so much secrecy?

---

So a Chinese dissident risking his life talking to a US diplomat about what is going on behind closed doors in China shouldn't expect there to be any effort made for secrecy? Right Ok.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Dylan H

Is it really unjustifiable to not release these documents?

People talk to US diplomats (or any other diplomat) on the understanding that there is secrecy involved, that what they said won't reach back to their bosses. This is especially true in dictatorships which don't deal with leaks kindly. Given that this trust has now been shattered thanks to the leaks don't you think that diplomacy would be affected negatively?

Assange did a write-in interview on the Guardian late last week. I noticed that he had little difficulty in answering sycophantic questions such as "it must be so hard to cope with the stress of being targetted by the worlds greatest superpower" but refused to answer point blank an eloquently written question by a former diplomat as to whether he would take responsibility for any negative impact the latest leak would have on future diplomacy.

---

As I've said in previous posts, this is the very aspect of these disclosures with which I am somewhat uncomfortable. But let's not pretend that those countries whose leaderships have been the subject of the leaked comments ought not to have had some idea what others might potentially think of them.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Dylan H

So a Chinese dissident risking his life talking to a US diplomat about what is going on behind closed doors in China shouldn't expect there to be any effort made for secrecy? Right Ok.

---

And why does that Chinese dissident leaking information seem to be OK for many and Assagne and the Wikileaks be villains when they leak information?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ioan

They are very naive if they believe that anything is 100% sure.
What I do not understand and I hope someone can explain is why is these secrecy needed?! What is the point and the benefits for our society in having so much secrecy?

---

Let's equate the international community to the workplace. Would your work be harmonious if you told your colleagues and associates exactly what you really thought of them? To do so would be unwise, unless one wishes for an unharmonious day-to-day existence. The same goes for diplomatic relations, which is, as I said before, why there should be a degree of circumspection about leaking such things. I agree very much that there is an undue culture of secrecy and non-disclosure on the part of politicians, authorities, etc, in general, but it is probably sensible to keep within certain bounds when making disclosures against their wishes.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BDunnell

Let's equate the international community to the workplace. Would your work be harmonious if you told your colleagues and associates exactly what you really thought of them?

---

Maybe not, but it wouldn't be harmonious with that kind of back-stabbing, gossiping and squealing to the boss about every detail that the Wikileaks have revealed either.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BDunnell

Let's equate the international community to the workplace. Would your work be harmonious if you told your colleagues and associates exactly what you really thought of them? To do so would be unwise, unless one wishes for an unharmonious day-to-day existence. The same goes for diplomatic relations, which is, as I said before, why there should be a degree of circumspection about leaking such things. I agree very much that there is an undue culture of secrecy and non-disclosure on the part of politicians, authorities, etc, in general, but it is probably sensible to keep within certain bounds when making disclosures against their wishes.

---

I always tell people what I think about them and I think it helps on the long term, each of us knows exactly what to expect next time. no secrets no bad surprises.

What society needs to build on is respect and honesty, and secrecy doesn't go well with any of these.

This is my opinion and how I do things.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Eki

Maybe not, but it wouldn't be harmonious with that kind of back-stabbing, gossiping and squealing to the boss about every detail that the Wikileaks have revealed either.

---

Exactly. It only equates to a time bomb that on one knows when will get ignited.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ioan

I always tell people what I think about them and I think it helps on the long term, each of us knows exactly what to expect next time. no secrets no bad surprises.

What society needs to build on is respect and honesty, and secrecy doesn't go well with any of these.

This is my opinion and how I do things.

---

I would suggest that you may come across as boorish and rude. In the workplace it very rarely does to utter one's unchecked opinions of one's colleagues, unless one is very lucky and has a uniformly excellent group of co-workers, as I once had.